Farm Accounts By Computer

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 7

Farm Accounts By Computer

Efehty New Zealand farmers aye neaMns manthly Bnandal statements produced entirely by computer. This is ene tt the result tt two years tt cemputer programming and experimenting in combining farm management and aceohnttng ■ ayatems On a computer. This was reported to 160 accountants by jnembers of the staff of the department of accountancy tt the University of Canterbury last Week. Organised as an Topen day” after the Accountants' Society farm-accounting seminar at Uncoln College, the sessions were designed to inform accountants pf the advantages and pitfalls of a computer-based system producing monthly accounts, budget comparisons and statistical data. Professor A. S. Carrington, head of the department of accountancy spoko on "The University, the Professiop and

Farm-Accounting Research.” Explaining the need for university research into the application of computers to integrated infbrmatieji systems, he suggested that both in businesses and in farms, these more efficient methods would replace separate accounting, statistical, production control and ether sub-systems. Professor Carrington warned that although {pubHe accountants had advantages ds established jirofesSional practitioners expert in taxation tod other financial' matters,' they would eventually Idee' farm accounting work to othef organisations if they did not “team up” with farm, management advisers and take advantage Of' new data processing methods. The university project, which was a joint venture with the department of. farm management at Lincoln College, was designed tQ assist accountants to > adapt more easily io these new developmentp, he said, as well as being a contribution to improved farming efficiency. Mr B. J. Clarke, lecturer in accountancy, gave a detailed report on the computer system in the University of Canterbury research project He explained the power of the computer to provide up to eight different reports for each farmer each month In a matter of seconds of computer time.

A feature of the system was the unusually detailed accounting statements produced quite automatically from the farmers’ simple monthly returns.

There were still improvements to be made and problems to be overcome, however, said Mr Clarke. He indicated particularly the need for improvement in human organisation, to match the capabilities of the computer. Mr J. W. Grocott gave a

paper prepared in conjunction with Mr M. C. Wells on “The Farmer-to-Farmer Accounting Cycle.” This recounted the willingness of a wide range Of farmers throughout the country to participate actively in the research project Laying aside more usual farming implements they had wielded pen or pencil to provide the necessary records to be fed into the computer and had received with enthusiasm the subsequent computer “printout" of reports. In extending the project, it was hoped to enlist similar co-operation from the farmers’ own public accountants, many of whom had already expressed keen interest in the possibilities.